Why do some children–and even adults–seem to get a natural kind of high off reading?
In the book The Power of Reading: Insights from the Research, Stephen D Krashen includes an interesting aspect about reading which is evident among people engaged in any creative endeavour: flow. Citing the extensive work on creativity by Mihali Csikszentmihalyi, Krashen outlines the concept of flow, which is responsible for a feeling of happiness and fulfilment that culminates in completing a creative endeavour.
Csikszentmihalyi describes flow as "...the state people reach when they are deeply but effortlessly involved in an activity. In flow, the concerns of everyday life and even the sense of self disappear–our sense of time is altered and nothing but the activity itself seems to matter."
In a sense, flow creates a different realm of being. It is, paradoxically speaking, the ability to dig deep inside yourself while at the same time removing yourself from normal existence. It is finding yourself and losing yourself at the same time.
This experience is what gives creative people a natural high. Good readers also experience this feeling when they engage in reading. Struggling readers are caught up in the mechanics of reading; good readers are processing information and experiencing life on a whole new level.
This is why it is important to develop a regime to aid young readers in developing a fluidness to their reading. This is why parents and teachers can't allow children to lag behind in their reading.Good readers feel good about reading because there is a feeling of accomplishment. Poor readers, who struggle with it, don't get that feeling, because their time and energy goes into decoding. They get nothing more out of reading than the struggle.
Reading helps to develop thinking and analytical skills. It helps to build the process of thinking, and it gives an immeasurable sense of satisfaction–if flow is involved. But flow is not just about an aesthetic experience. Csikszentmihalyi claims that flow–the sustained presence in an activity like reading–helps build memory and important connections to activities. It creates a sense of accomplishment and perseverance.
Usually there are ten components associated with any sense of flow–not just reading. They are:
1. Clear goals that are challenging, but obtainable–not frustrating.
2. Strong concentration and focused attention.
3. The feeling that a goal is intrinsically rewarding. In other words the reward is built in the goal itself. A sense of accomplishment is internal and not external.
4. A feeling of confidence and serenity accompanied by a loss of any feelings of self-consciousness. All other awareness disappears.
5. Timelessness. There is no awareness of time passing.
6. Immediate as opposed to delayed feedback.
7. A feeling that the task is doable; a balance between skill level and the challenge presented. "I can do this."
8. Feelings of personal control over the situation and the outcome. "I can make this happen."
9. Lack of awareness of physical needs. This is that stage that sets athletes apart when they can push beyond physical pain to obtain the desired goal.
10. Complete focus on the activity itself, a feeling of being alone in a good place.
In academic pursuits, flow is present when a child masters a new skill.Flow is also an important part of sports. After the World Cup, there was an interesting Internet article on tests that were run on the Brazilian footballer Neymar's skills.
Tests showed he is so immersed in playing football that he is totally unaware of what is going on around him. Japanese neurologists claim that Neymar's brain activity is less than ten per cent the level of amateur players when he plays football. He is described as being on autopilot when he is playing.
What they are trying to describe is flow. It's a fascinating concept that explains how our brain works when we master an activity. It shows the process of how we experience a sense of accomplishment.If you're interested in the concept you might want to check out Csikszentmihaly's book Beyond Boredom and Anxiety, which explains the state of peak enjoyment and energetic focus.
�2 Check out Csikszentmihalyi's TED talk on flow at www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow
�2 Also check out the story Neymar's autopilot football skills a result of his brain activity: www.news.com.au/technology/science/neymars-autopilot-football-skills-a-result-of-his-brain-activity/story-fnjwl2dr-1227005448224
Perhaps there is a lot more to the saying of "go with the flow" than we think.Clearly, if we don't nurture and encourage students to read more so that they can experience flow, then we are depriving them of a very worthwhile, confidence-building experience.